Work folding attachment for sewing machines



' 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 4, 1947. J F( IMBERMAN WORK FOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jun 19', 1946 fiforne J zjmzermqyz J5 as 3 @N\ AN NM bw 5 Nov. 4, 1947. J F. IMBEMAN WORK FOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 19, 1946 25 0 I 46 22 475' 4:9 2 lEZY/fl\ v -o o l 0 /57 X 6 .55 .56 42 a 2 Nov. 4, 1947. J. F. IMBERMAN 2,430, 3

WORK FOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jun 19, 1946 s Shets-Sheet 5 j vzvniar:

finaazfmzerman Patented Nov. 4, 1947 WORK FOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Jonas F. Imberman, Los Angeles, Calif. Application June 19, 1946, Serial No. 677,857

4 Claims.

My invention relates to a work folding attachment which is particularly adapted for use with sewing machines of the double stitch type and which are used for hemming the edges of two strips of work material simultaneously, said strips being used in the manufacture of curtains and other articles.

The primary object is to automatically inturn and guide two strips of material with their folded edges engaged below the feed presser foot of a sewing machine so as to relieve the operator from the necessity of guiding the strips by hand. Another object is the saving of hand labor and the provision of means by which the operation of sewing including the guiding and directing the material into the machine is simplified and made easy. Another object is adjustability of the parts of my improved apparatus whereby strips of work material varying in width are'accomplished. Another object is the production of a readily foldable structure which in cooperation with the front section of the sewing machine table upon which the sewing machine head is connected can be swung outwardly into extended position or inwardly into operative position to facilitate access to the working parts of the sewing machine head. Among further objects are maximum simplicity of construction and eifectiveness in use.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Fig. l is a front perspective view showing my improved folding attachment applied to a sewing machine; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the folding 'machine attachment when removed from the sewing machine; Fig. 3 is a plan of the structure shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a detail illustrating the outwardly swung position assumed by the folding machine attachment when the front hinged section of the sewing machine table is opened; Fig. 5 is a front elevation of one of the adjustable combined folding and guide plates when removed from my improved folding machine attachment; Fig. 6 is a plan of the structure shown in Fig. 5; Fig. '7 is a section taken on the line '|--'I of Fig. 6, and Fig. 3 is a section of a detail taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 3.

In the drawings A represents an ordinary multiple needle type sewing machine head which has the usual laterally spaced needles Ill and II on the usual needle bar l2 and the needle plate IS. The double threads l4 and I5 are looped and threaded through the needles in the usual manner. This type of machine head is adapted to sew and hem the longitudinal edges mit an operator gaining (if two strips of work material simultaneously when fed through the machine.

The sewing machine head is mounted on a suitable work table B, the front housing section l5 of which, as shown is right angular in cross section. The lower edge of the front side I6 is hinged at IT to the base I8 so that said housing section can be swung outwardly to peraccess to the usual various adjustments in the front lower portion of the sewing machine and for threading the loopers, all of which is well known and in common use.

My improved work folding attachment 0 is mounted on the upper side l6 of the housing section by hinges 20, two of which are secured to the end angle supports 2| of my improved attachment. Another hinge 22 on the upper side l6 and in line with the end hinges is secured to the forward ends of the supporting plate 23. The supporting plate 23 normally rests horizontally flat on the upper side l6 of the front housing section l5 and is secured at the opposite ends rigidly to the lower surfaces of the upper arms 24, thus cooperating with the end angle supports to form a rigid skeleton frame. Normally the depending arms 25 of the end angle supports are secured in downwardly and outwardly slanting position by their upper end portions and plate 23 resting on the upper side of the housing member when the latter is raised and assumes closed position as shown in Fig. 1. A pair of upwardly spaced horizontal shafts 26 and 21 are secured by their ends in parallel relation longitudinally on the outwardly depending arms 25.

Two apron plates 30 and 3l for assisting in guiding two strips of work material into the sewing machine are supported by upper flanges 32 and 33 in longitudinally adjustable position on the supporting plate 23 by screw and slot connections 34, the normal position of the apron plates being substantially in the plane of the downwardly and rearwardly slanting position assumed by the end supporting arms 25. The corresponding end portions of the apron plates are formed with a pair of upwardly extending substantially parallel inturning folding guide members 35 and 36 for two work strips such as D and E. Each guide member has a reverse guide channel, the two channels 31 and 38 (Fig. 3), opening outwardly apart to admit the inner edges of said strips of work material and turn their edges inwardly in the reverse guide channels. In this manner the two strips of work material are guided with their edges inturned in alignment with the needle plate to be hemmed simultaneously by the usual operation of the sewing machine head.

Arranged in cooperation with the inturning folding guide members 35 and 36 are respectively longitudinal guide channel plates 39 and as which engage and guide the outermost side edges of the two strips of work material. These plates 39 and 49 are slidably held by their lower ends on the lower shaft 27 by sleeves 4| and are secured in adjusted position longitudinally on the upper shaft 26 by the collar and set screw members 42 to accommodate any width of work material strip. In this manner the guide channel members 39 and 40 can be set to guide and accommodate-strips of any desired width and to cause the inturning of their companion inner edge portions so that the sewing machine will hem the inturned inneredges of both stripsof work material simultaneously. The a ene 2 re rably have the r o e a le set screws directed upwardly at a slightly ine e ne an l a ow w ch tends t p eve h s cre 5 k n o s w subjected tothe vib at on n cduc y the w n ma hi ead- 'I'Yoreta n t e strips f W mater a in in turnedfolded fiat position as they are fed forwardly into engagement below the presser foot of the sewing machine head, two presser plates 4 45 and {it are provided, one for each strip of; work material. These presser plates are hinged freely along their upper edge portions to swing upwardly on a horizontal shaft 31, said shaft being mounted upon upstanding bosses 4,8. which are secured rigidly to the supporting plate 23 of the apron, frame structure. The free endportions of the presser plates are regulated in height above the supporting plate 23, to provide a free passage forwardly for the strips of work material by thedlustable lock bolts 49. These plates press down: wardly. by their own weight to releasably hold the strips of work material flat on the support-. ing bar was they progress forwardly.

Inaccordance with the patent statutes I have described the principles of opertion of; my in: vention together withthe construction thereof which I now consider to represent. the'best em: bodiment thereof, but I desire to have it under..- stood that the construction shown, is. only illustrative and that the inventioncan be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth within thespirit of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

I-claim:

l. A work strip folding attachment for adouble, needle sewing machine having a presser foot withwhich the needles cooperate and a work table with a hinged front section adapted to swing oute wardly and downwardly, comprising an apron frame hinged at its upper end to the upper portion of said front section of the table to swing outwardly from the work table and normally supported in outwardly and downwardly slanting position for assisting in guiding two strips of work material into said machine, and a pair of inturning folders mounted upon said apron frame for simultaneously inturning corresponding edges of the strips of work material when fed over said apron frame in operative presser feet to be stitched by said needles.

2. In a structure as defined in claim 1, the edge interning folders being adjustably supported laterally on said apron frame to regulate the inturned folded edges of the strips of work material in juxtaposition to the presser foot and the reciprocable needles of the sewing machine.

3; In a structure as defined in claim 1, each of said edge inturning folders having a cooperating guide for the outer edge of each strip of work material, said guide being adjustably sup.- ported in accord with the width of the strip of Work material which has its edge inturned and folde 4. A work piece folding attachment for a double needle sewing machine having a presser foot with which the needles cooperate and a work table with a hinged front section adapted to swing outwardly and downwardly, comprising an apron frame hinged at its upper end portion on the upper portion of said front section of said table to swing outwardly clear of the table and nor! mally supported in outwardly and downwardly slanting position for assisting in guiding two strips ofwork material into operative position into said machinaa pair of i-nturning folders mounted upon said apron frame for simultaneously inturning, contiguous edges of two strips of work material when fed over said apron frame to be stitched by said needles, and presser plates freely hung on said apron frame and directed downwardly upon the strips ofworkmaterial as they leave the folders. and are engaged by said needles.

JONAS F. IMBERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNI'i-ED STATES A NT-S position below said I 

